Saturday night fever

The Late Late Show aired on Saturday nights from its inception in 1962 until September 1986, when it moved to Friday nights to facilitate a five-day week for Gay Byrne. Finding a replacement show was a priority for RTÉ, and there's been much chopping and changing.

The Late Late Show aired on Saturday nights from its inception in 1962 until September 1986, when it moved to Friday nights to facilitate a five-day week for Gay Byrne. Finding a replacement show was a priority for RTÉ, and there's been much chopping and changing.

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Saturday night fever

Independent.ie

The Late Late Show aired on Saturday nights from its inception in 1962 until September 1986, when it moved to Friday nights to facilitate a five-day week for Gay Byrne. Finding a replacement show was a priority for RTÉ, and there's been much chopping and changing.

Several guest presenters, including Ian Paisley's daughter Rhonda, were tried but it was Pat Kenny who was seen as the safe pair of hands, despite the failure of his previous prime-time chat show some years before.

Kenny Live (1988 - 1999)

With some considering The Late Late Show to be getting stale in what was even then thought of as its old age, Kenny's Saturday night alternative proved popular with viewers. It would be the perfect launch-pad for hosting The Late Late on Byrne's retirement.

Tubridy Tonight (2004 - 2010)

Several short-lived Saturday night programmes tried to fill the breach left by Kenny, but none had an impact until Ryan Tubridy was given his own show.

The Saturday Night Show (2010 - 2015)

Brendan O'Connor's show got more popular with time, and there was a sense in his final season that he had unlocked something of a winning formula. The show's axing by RTÉ surprised many.

The Ray D'Arcy Show (2015 - Present)

Tonight will be just the 16th show in D'Arcy's maiden season - but the knives have been out since the start.